Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Fungal Group Zygomycota01:29

Fungal Group Zygomycota

469
Zygomycota, previously classified as a distinct fungal group, are primarily terrestrial, saprophytic molds that play a crucial role as decomposers. Recent phylogenetic studies have revealed that these fungi are now divided into two major clades — Mucoromycota, which includes many symbiotic species, and Zoopagomycota, which primarily consists of parasitic and pathogenic fungi. These groups exhibit distinct ecological roles and reproductive strategies while sharing key structural and...
469
Overview of Fungi01:29

Overview of Fungi

680
Fungi are a diverse group of eukaryotes more closely related to animals than other eukaryotes. Fungal cell walls comprise chitin, a polysaccharide that provides structural strength, and glucans, which contribute to flexibility and integrity. Other polysaccharides, such as mannans and galactosans, may supplement or replace chitin in some fungi. These adaptations, along with their preference for acidic environments and tolerance for high osmotic pressure, enable fungi to thrive in various...
680
Fungal Phylum Basidiomycota01:26

Fungal Phylum Basidiomycota

498
Basidiomycota is a diverse phylum of fungi that includes ecologically significant decomposers such as white rot fungi, symbionts like mycorrhizal fungi, plant pathogens such as rusts and smuts, and edible species like Agaricus bisporus (the common button mushroom). These fungi play crucial roles in nutrient cycling, symbiotic relationships, and even human health. Their defining feature is the basidium, a microscopic club-shaped structure responsible for producing basidiospores.Fruiting Bodies...
498
The Roles of Bacteria and Fungi in Plant Nutrition02:11

The Roles of Bacteria and Fungi in Plant Nutrition

45.4K
Plants have the impressive ability to create their own food through photosynthesis. However, plants often require assistance from organisms in the soil to acquire the nutrients they need to function correctly. Both bacteria and fungi have evolved symbiotic relationships with plants that help the species to thrive in a wide variety of environments.
45.4K
Epiphytes, Parasites, and Carnivores02:40

Epiphytes, Parasites, and Carnivores

15.9K
Plants often form mutualistic relationships with soil-dwelling fungi or bacteria to enhance their roots’ nutrient uptake ability. Root-colonizing fungi (e.g., mycorrhizae) increase a plant’s root surface area, which promotes nutrient absorption. While root-colonizing, nitrogen-fixing bacteria (e.g., rhizobia) convert atmospheric nitrogen (N2) into ammonia (NH3), making nitrogen available to plants for various biological functions. For example, nitrogen is essential for the...
15.9K
Fungal Phylum Microsporidia01:28

Fungal Phylum Microsporidia

224
Microsporidia are a group of obligate intracellular fungi that were initially classified as protists but were later reclassified based on phylogenetic, molecular, and structural evidence linking them to the Chytridiomycota. These unicellular, non-motile organisms are highly specialized parasites that infect a wide range of animal hosts, including humans. They have evolved extensive genomic and metabolic reductions, making them highly dependent on their hosts for survival.Morphology and Genomic...
224

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

One hundred unanswered questions on the dispersal ecology of fungi.

The ISME journal·2026
Same author

Cryogenic electron tomography by the numbers: Charting underexplored lineages in structural cell biology.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same author

More than mitigation: The role of forests in climate adaptation.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
Same author

Climate and Land-Use Changes Predicted to Jointly Drive Soil Fungal Diversity Losses in One-Third of North American Coniferous Forests.

Global change biology·2025
Same author

A catalog of metagenome-assembled genomes from Amazonian forest and pasture soils.

Microbiology resource announcements·2025
Same author

A global database of soil microbial phospholipid fatty acids and enzyme activities.

Scientific data·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 8, 2025

Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter
10:20

Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter

Published on: March 12, 2013

13.6K

Multiple distinct, scale-dependent links between fungi and decomposition.

Gabriel Reuben Smith1,2, Kabir G Peay1

  • 1Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.

Ecology Letters
|April 24, 2021
PubMed
Summary

Fungal communities, not climate, drive wood decomposition. Diverse fungal communities slow decomposition, regardless of location, due to microbial interactions and dispersal patterns.

Keywords:
carbon cyclecommunity ecologycompetitiondecompositiondispersaldiversity-function relationshipsecosystem ecologyfungimicrobesscale

More Related Videos

Microbiota of Attine Ants' Gardens: Visualizing a Microbial Landscape by Scanning Electron Microscopy
07:00

Microbiota of Attine Ants' Gardens: Visualizing a Microbial Landscape by Scanning Electron Microscopy

Published on: October 4, 2024

838
Agar-Block Microcosms for Controlled Plant Tissue Decomposition by Aerobic Fungi
12:34

Agar-Block Microcosms for Controlled Plant Tissue Decomposition by Aerobic Fungi

Published on: February 3, 2011

15.3K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Nov 8, 2025

Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter
10:20

Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter

Published on: March 12, 2013

13.6K
Microbiota of Attine Ants' Gardens: Visualizing a Microbial Landscape by Scanning Electron Microscopy
07:00

Microbiota of Attine Ants' Gardens: Visualizing a Microbial Landscape by Scanning Electron Microscopy

Published on: October 4, 2024

838
Agar-Block Microcosms for Controlled Plant Tissue Decomposition by Aerobic Fungi
12:34

Agar-Block Microcosms for Controlled Plant Tissue Decomposition by Aerobic Fungi

Published on: February 3, 2011

15.3K

Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Microbiology
  • Biogeochemistry

Background:

  • Traditionally, decomposition was linked to climate and substrate.
  • Recent studies emphasize the critical role of microbial organisms and their interactions in decomposition processes.
  • Wood decay rates are more strongly influenced by fungal community composition than by climatic factors.

Discussion:

  • This research investigated fungal impacts on wood decomposition across spatial scales using field and lab experiments along a forest-shrubland ecotone.
  • The study examined how fungal community diversity and location influence decomposition rates.
  • It explored the interplay between local community assembly and regional species pool dynamics.

Key Insights:

  • Wood decomposition is primarily driven by fungal communities, not climate.
  • Higher fungal diversity leads to slower decomposition rates, irrespective of geographic location.
  • Dispersal influences local fungal community assembly, which is nested within broader regional species pool dynamics.

Outlook:

  • Understanding microbial roles in ecosystem functions is crucial for predicting decomposition dynamics.
  • Further research can explore the specific mechanisms of interspecific competition and trait variation in fungal communities.
  • This work highlights the importance of considering microbial ecology in ecosystem process studies across various scales.